Method, system, and non-transitory computer-readable record medium for providing content copyright in chatroom

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a method, system, and non-transitory computer-readable record medium for protecting content copyright in a chatroom. A content protection method includes adding, by at least one processor, a mark to content in a chatroom, the mark including chatroom information for identifying the chatroom in response to a user request from a user associated with the content in the chatroom, and executing, by the at least one processor, a function corresponding to the user request using the content to which the mark is added.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. non-provisional application is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 16/879,875, filed on May 21, 2020, which claims thebenefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent ApplicationNo. 10-2019-0060117, filed May 22, 2019, the entire contents of each ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

One or more example embodiments relate to methods, systems, and/ornon-transitory computer readable record media for protecting contents ina chatroom.

Related Art

An instant messenger is a general communication tool, and refers tosoftware capable of sending and receiving messages or data in real time.A user may register a contact on a messenger, and may exchange messageswith a counterpart included in a contact list in real time.

Such a messenger function is popular in a mobile environment of a mobilecommunication terminal as well as a personal computer (PC).

With the increasing popularity of an instant messenger and diversity offunctions provided through the instant messenger, an open chat functionthat allows a chat without adding a friend using a telephone number oran identification is available.

SUMMARY

Some example embodiments may add a mark that includes chatroominformation to content to be uploaded to a chatroom.

Some example embodiments may provide an access to a chatroom that is asource of content using a mark added to the content.

Some example embodiments may add a mark to content in response to ascreenshot request or a sharing request for the content in a chatroom.

Some example embodiments may send a notification to an original contentcreator in response to a screenshot request or a sharing requesting forcontent in a chatroom.

Some example embodiments may execute screenshot or sharing in responseto approval of an original content creator for content in a chatroom.

According to at least one example embodiment, there is provided acontent protection method implemented by a computer system including atleast one processor configured to execute computer-readable instructionsincluded in a memory. The method includes adding, the at least oneprocessor, a mark to content, the mark including chatroom informationfor identifying the chatroom in response to a user request from a userassociated with the content in the chatroom, and executing, by the atleast one processor, a function corresponding to the user request usingthe content to which the mark is added.

The adding may include providing an edit user interface (UI) foradjusting at least one of a size or a position of the mark added to thecontent.

The adding may include determining at least one of a size or a positionof the mark to be added to the content based on an image-based analysisresult of the content.

The adding may include receiving a mark addition request from the userevery time the user request is recognized, or receiving the mark addingrequest in advance.

The mark may include chatroom information used for an electronic deviceof another user sharing the content.

The method further includes creating the mark in an image or patternform recognizable at a server, to make a sharing path of the contenttrackable through interaction with the server, and displaying trackinginformation about the sharing path of the content through the mark on anelectronic device of another user sharing the content.

The content protection method may further include forwarding, by the atleast one processor, a notification to an electronic device of at leastone original content creator having sent an original version of thecontent in the chatroom, the forwarding being in response to recognizinga screenshot request or a sharing request as the user request for thecontent.

The forwarding of the notification may include selecting at least onecontact having sent a message included in a screenshot range as at leastone notification forward target in response to designating thescreenshot range in the chatroom.

The selecting may include analyzing chat content included in thescreenshot range and excluding one or more contacts from the at leastone notification forward target.

The notification may include a function for sending an intent from theat least one original content creator regarding whether to approve useof the content, and the adding may include adding the mark to thecontent in response to receiving an approval intent from an electronicdevice of the at least one original content creator through thenotification.

The adding may include, in response to the notification being forwardedto the at least one original content creator including two or moreoriginal content creators, adding the mark to the content of one of theat least one original content creator that sends an approval intent, anddisallowing a screenshot operation and a sharing operation for thecontent of another of the at least one original content creator thatsends a disapproval intent.

The content protection method may further include accessing, by the atleast one processor, a storage space associated with a screenshot at apoint in time at which a desired period of time elapses based on a pointin time at which a screenshot request is recognized, in response torecognizing the screenshot request as the user request for the content,and leaving first content, by the at least one processor, to which themark is added and deleting second content by the at least one processorto which the mark is not added, from among contents stored in thestorage space during the desired period of time.

According to at least one example embodiment, there is provided anon-transitory computer-readable record medium storing instructionsthat, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform thecontent protection method.

According to at least one example embodiment, there is provided acomputer system including at least one processor configured to executecomputer-readable instructions included in a memory. The at least oneprocessor is configured to add a mark to content, the mark includingchatroom information for identifying the chatroom in response to a userrequest from a user associated with the content in the chatroom, andexecute a function corresponding to the user request using the contentto which the mark is added.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the descriptionprovided herein. The description and specific examples in thisdisclosure are intended for purposes of illustration only and are notintended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a network environmentaccording to at least one example embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an electronic device anda server according to at least one example embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of components includable ina processor of an electronic device according to at least one exampleembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a content protectionmethod performed by an electronic device according to at least oneexample embodiment;

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an example of a process of adding a quick read(QR) code to content according to at least one example embodiment;

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a process of adding a watermark tocontent according to at least one example embodiment;

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate examples of using content to which a QR code isadded according to at least one example embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a contentprotection method performed by an electronic device according to atleast one example embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a contentprotection method performed by an electronic device according to atleast one example embodiment;

FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a process of specifying a target towhich a content protection notification is to be forwarded according toat least one example embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a contentprotection method performed by an electronic device according to atleast one example embodiment; and

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a contentprotection method performed by an electronic device according to atleast one example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more example embodiments will be described in detail withreference to the accompanying drawings. Example embodiments, however,may be embodied in various different forms, and should not be construedas being limited to only the illustrated embodiments. Rather, theillustrated embodiments are provided as examples so that this disclosurewill be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concepts ofthis disclosure to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, knownprocesses, elements, and techniques, may not be described with respectto some example embodiments. Unless otherwise noted, like referencecharacters denote like elements throughout the attached drawings andwritten description, and thus descriptions will not be repeated.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the,” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups, thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or”includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associatedlisted products. Expressions such as “at least one of,” when preceding alist of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modifythe individual elements of the list. Also, the term “exemplary” isintended to refer to an example or illustration.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. Terms,such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should beinterpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning inthe context of the relevant art and/or this disclosure, and should notbe interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expresslyso defined herein.

Software may include a computer program, program code, instructions, orsome combination thereof, for independently or collectively instructingor configuring a hardware device to operate as desired. The computerprogram and/or program code may include program or computer-readableinstructions, software components, software modules, data files, datastructures, and/or the like, capable of being implemented by one or morehardware devices, such as one or more of the hardware devices mentionedabove. Examples of program code include both machine code produced by acompiler and higher level program code that is executed using aninterpreter.

A hardware device, such as a computer processing device, may run anoperating system (OS) and one or more software applications that run onthe OS. The computer processing device also may access, store,manipulate, process, and create data in response to execution of thesoftware. For simplicity, one or more example embodiments may beexemplified as one computer processing device; however, one skilled inthe art will appreciate that a hardware device may include multipleprocessing elements and multiple types of processing elements. Forexample, a hardware device may include multiple processors or aprocessor and a controller. In addition, other processing configurationsare possible, such as parallel processors.

Although described with reference to specific examples and drawings,modifications, additions and substitutions of example embodiments may bevariously made according to the description by those of ordinary skillin the art. For example, the described techniques may be performed in anorder different with that of the methods described, and/or componentssuch as the described system, architecture, devices, circuit, and thelike, may be connected or combined to be different from theabove-described methods, or results may be appropriately achieved byother components or equivalents.

Hereinafter, some example embodiments will be described with referenceto the accompanying drawings.

Some example embodiments relate to technology for protecting contents ina chatroom.

Some example embodiments of the present disclosure may add a mark thatincludes chatroom information to content to be uploaded to a chatroom orcontent for which a screenshot or sharing with another chatroom isrequested in the chatroom, may effectively protect the content in thechatroom based on the chatroom information included in the mark, and mayeasily access the chatroom that is a source of the content not tomention of tracking the content.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a network environment according to atleast one example embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1, the networkenvironment may include a plurality of electronic devices 110, 120, 130,and 140, a plurality of servers 150 and 160, and a network 170. FIG. 1is provided as an example only. A number of electronic devices or anumber of servers is not limited thereto.

Each of the plurality of electronic devices 110, 120, 130, and 140 maybe a fixed terminal or a mobile terminal that is configured as acomputer system. For example, the plurality of electronic devices 110,120, 130, and 140 may be a smartphone, a mobile phone, a navigationdevice, a computer, a laptop computer, a digital broadcasting terminal,a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP),a tablet PC, a game console, a wearable device, an Internet of things(IoT) device, a virtual reality (VR) device, an augmented reality (AR)device, and the like. For example, although FIG. 1 illustrates a shapeof a smartphone as an example of the electronic device 110, theelectronic device 110 used herein may refer to one of various types ofphysical computer systems capable of communicating with other electronicdevices 120, 130, and 140, and/or the servers 150 and 160 over thenetwork 170 in a wireless or wired communication manner.

The communication scheme is not limited and may include a near fieldwireless communication scheme between devices as well as a communicationscheme using a communication network (e.g., a mobile communicationnetwork, wired Internet, wireless Internet, a broadcasting network, or asatellite network) includable in the network 170. For example, thenetwork 170 may include at least one of network topologies that includea personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a campus areanetwork (CAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network(WAN), a broadband network (BBN), and Internet. Also, the network 170may include at least one of network topologies that include a busnetwork, a star network, a ring network, a mesh network, a star-busnetwork, a tree or hierarchical network, and the like. However, they areprovided as examples only.

Each of the servers 150 and 160 may be configured as a computerapparatus or a plurality of computer apparatuses that provides aninstruction, a code, a file, content, a service, etc., throughcommunication with the plurality of electronic devices 110, 120, 130,and 140 over the network 170. For example, the server 150 may be asystem that provides a first service to the plurality of electronicdevices 110, 120, 130, and 140 connected over the network 170. Theserver 160 may be a system that provides a second service to theplurality of electronic devices 110, 120, 130, and 140 connected overthe network 170. For example, the server 150 may provide, as the firstservice, a service (e.g., a messaging service) intended by anapplication through the application as a computer program installed andexecuted on the plurality of electronic devices 110, 120, 130, and 140.As another example, the server 160 may provide, as the second service, aservice that distributes a file for installing and executing theapplication to the plurality of electronic devices 110, 120, 130, and140.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an electronicdevice and a server according to at least one example embodiment.Description is made using the electronic device 110 as an example of anelectronic device and the server 150 as an example of a server withreference to FIG. 2. Also, the other electronic devices 120, 130, and140 or the server 160 may have the same or similar configuration as thatof the electronic device 110 or the server 150.

Referring to FIG. 2, the electronic device 110 may include a memory 211,a processor 212, a communication module 213, and an input/output (I/O)interface 214, and the server 150 may include a memory 221, a processor222, a communication module 223, and an I/O interface 224. The memory211, 221 may include a permanent mass storage device (e.g., randomaccess memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a disk drive, a solidstate drive (SSD), or a flash memory) as a non-transitorycomputer-readable record medium. The permanent mass storage device(e.g., ROM, SSD, flash memory, or disk drive) may be included in theelectronic device 110 or the server 150 as a permanent storage deviceseparate from the memory 211, 221. Also, an OS or at least one programcode, for example, a code for a browser installed and executed on theelectronic device 110 or an application installed and executed on theelectronic device 110 to provide a specific service, may be stored inthe memory 211, 221. Such software components may be loaded from anothernon-transitory computer-readable record medium separate from the memory211, 221. The other non-transitory computer-readable record medium mayinclude a non-transitory computer-readable record medium, for example, afloppy drive, a disk, a tape, a DVD/CD-ROM drive, a memory card, etc.According to other example embodiments, software components may beloaded to the memory 211, 221 through the communication module 213, 223,instead of the non-transitory computer-readable record medium. Forexample, at least one program may be loaded to the memory 211, 221 basedon a computer program, for example, the application, installed by filesprovided over the network 170 from developers or a file distributionsystem, for example, the server 160, providing an installation file ofthe application.

The processor 212, 222 may be configured to process instructions of acomputer program by performing basic arithmetic operations, logicoperations, and I/O operations. The computer-readable instructions maybe provided from the memory 211, 221 or the communication module 213,223 to the processor 212, 222. For example, the processor 212, 222 maybe configured to execute received instructions in response to theprogram code stored in the storage device, such as the memory 211, 221.

The communication module 213, 223 may provide a function forcommunication between the electronic device 110 and the server 150 overthe network 170 and may provide a function for communication between theelectronic device 110 and/or the server 150 with another electronicdevice, for example, the electronic device 120 or another server, forexample, the server 160. For example, the processor 212 of theelectronic device 110 may transfer a request created based on a programcode stored in the storage device such as the memory 211, to the server150 over the network 170 under control of the communication module 213.Inversely, a control signal, an instruction, content, a file, etc.,provided under control of the processor 222 of the server 150 may bereceived at the electronic device 110 through the communication module213 of the electronic device 110 by going through the communicationmodule 223 and the network 170. For example, a control signal, aninstruction, content, a file, etc., of the server 150 received throughthe communication module 213 may be transferred to the processor 212 orthe memory 211, and content, a file, etc., may be stored in a storagemedium, for example, the permanent storage device, further includable inthe electronic device 110.

The I/O interface 214 may be a device used for interface with an I/Oapparatus 215. For example, an input device may include a device, forexample, a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, and/or a camera, and anoutput device may include a device, for example, a display, a speaker,and/or a haptic feedback device. As another example, the I/O interface214 may be a device for interface with an apparatus in which an inputfunction and an output function are integrated into a single function,for example, a touchscreen. The I/O apparatus 215 may be configured as asingle device with the electronic device 110. Also, the I/O interface224 of the server 150 may be a device for interface with an apparatus(not shown) for input or output that may be connected to the server 150or included in the server 150. For example, when the processor 212 ofthe electronic device 110 processes an instruction of a computer programloaded to the memory 211, content or a service screen configured basedon data provided from the server 150 or the electronic device 120 may bedisplayed on the display through the I/O interface 214.

According to other example embodiments, the electronic device 110 andthe server 150 may include a smaller or greater number of componentsthan a number of components shown in FIG. 2. However, there is no needto clearly illustrate many components according to the related art. Forexample, the electronic device 110 may include at least a portion of theI/O apparatus 215, or may further include other components, for example,a transceiver, a global positioning system (GPS) module, a camera, avariety of sensors, a database (DB), and the like. For example, if theelectronic device 110 is a smartphone, the electronic device 110 may beconfigured to further include a variety of components, for example, anacceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a camera module, various physicalbuttons, a button using a touch panel, an I/O port, a vibrator forvibration, etc., which are generally included in the smartphone.

Hereinafter, methods and/or systems for protecting a content copyrightin a chatroom according to some example embodiments is described.

The term “chatroom” used herein may refer to an interface screen forproviding messages exchanged between users for example, an interfacescreen of a chat function capable of exchanging messages through acommunication session established between accounts of users in amessenger or a social network service (SNS), and an interface screen ofan open chat function capable of making an immediate chat using a link(e.g., a uniform resource locator (URL) without a friend additionfunction using a telephone number or an identifier (ID). An open chatlink may include a function capable of executing a chatroom of acorresponding link by automatically executing a messenger to immediatelyinitiate a chat in response to a click on the link.

Hereinafter, although description is made based on an example of achatroom of a messenger, it is provided as an example only. Any type ofchat-based interfaces of a service in which a plurality of usersparticipate and newly joins frequently occurs using an account or atelephone number of a user as well as a link.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of components includable ina processor of an electronic device according to at least one exampleembodiment.

A content protection system implemented by a computer may be configuredin the electronic device 110. For example, the content protection systemmay be configured in a form of a program that independently operates orin an in-app form of a specific application to be operable on thespecific application and may provide a messaging service throughinteraction with the server 150.

The content protection system configured in the electronic device 110may perform the following content protection method in response to aninstruction provided from an application installed on the electronicdevice 110.

Referring to FIG. 3, to perform the content protection method accordingto some example embodiments, the processor 212 of the electronic device110 may include an event recognizer 310, a notification forwarder 320, amarker 330, a function executer 340, and a content manager 350 ascomponents of the processor 212. Depending on some example embodiments,the components of the processor 212 may be selectively included in orexcluded from the processor 212. Also, depending on some exampleembodiments, the components of the processor 212 may be separated ormerged for functional representation of the processor 212.

The processor 212 and the components of the processor 212 may controlthe electronic device 110 to perform operations included in the contentprotection method. For example, the processor 212 and the components ofthe processor 212 may be configured to execute an instruction accordingto a code of at least one program and/or a code of an OS included in thememory 211.

Here, the components of the processor 212 may be representations ofdifferent functions of the processor 212 performed by the processor 212in response to an instruction (e.g., an instruction provided from anapplication executed on the electronic device 110) provided from aprogram code stored in the electronic device 110. For example, the eventrecognizer 310 may be used as a functional representation of theprocessor 212 that controls the electronic device 110 to recognize aninput event associated with content in a chatroom in response to theinstruction.

The processor 212 may read a desired instruction from the memory 211 towhich instructions associated with control of the electronic device 110are loaded. In this case, the read instruction may include aninstruction for controlling the processor 212 to perform the contentprotection method.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a content protectionmethod performed by an electronic device according to at least oneexample embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, in operation 5410, the event recognizer 310 mayrecognize an input event associated with or predefined in associationwith content in a chatroom (hereinafter, briefly referred to as achatroom) of a messenger installed on the electronic device 110. Here,the content may be a target (hereinafter, a copyright protection target)of which a copyright is to be protected, and may inclusively refer toany types of data exchanged between users through the chatroom, forexample, a text, an image, a video, and an audio. Herein, to protect acontent copyright by preventing image-based content sent in a chatroomor captured image content from being indiscreetly shared, an uploadrequest, a screenshot request, and a sharing request of content amonginput events in the chatroom may be defined as an instruction forcalling a copyright protection function. That is, the event recognizer310 may recognize the upload request, the screenshot request, and thesharing request that are input events associated with the content in thechatroom as the instruction for calling the copyright protectionfunction.

In operation 5420, in response to recognizing the input eventcorresponding to the instruction for calling the copyright protectionfunction in the chatroom, the marker 330 may add, to content that is acopyright protection target, a mark that includes chatroom informationfor identifying the chatroom. The mark relates to protecting a copyrightfor original data (e.g., a text, an image, a video, or an audio) and maybe created using a method capable of containing information in a desiredpattern, for example, an image and a watermark, a quick read (QR) code,or a barcode. Here, the mark may be created in an image or pattern formrecognizable at the server 150 that is capable of tracking a copyrightprotection target through interaction with the electronic device asrepresented by 110 in FIG. 2. For example, the marker 330 may create amark that includes information capable of identifying a chatroom, forexample, an ID or a link (e.g., a uniform resource locator (URL)) of achatroom in which an input event is recognized and may add the mark tocontent that is specified as the copyright protection target in responseto the input event. In response to an upload request, content selectedto be uploaded to the chatroom may be specified as the copyrightprotection target. In response to a screenshot request, content includedin a screenshot range of the chatroom may be specified as the copyrightprotection target. In response to a sharing request, content selected tobe shared with another chatroom or another medium through the chatroommay be specified as the copyright protection target. As another example,the marker 330 may create and add a mark that includes information(e.g., a user ID) about an original content creator with chatroominformation about the content specified as the copyright protectiontarget. Here, the original content creator may refer to a user thatsends an original version of the content specified as the copyrightprotection target in the chatroom as a content included in the chatroom.Content sent and received through the chatroom may be managed using aunique identifier (a message ID) of a message type. Through this, themarker 330 may identify the content specified as the copyrightprotection target and the original content creator, and may add the markthat includes information about the original content creator to thespecified content. Here, every time the input event is recognized, themarker 330 may receive a mark addition request from the user of theelectronic device 110. Depending on some example embodiments, a requestfor adding a mark to uploaded content may be received in advance as amark setting.

In operation 5430, the function executer 340 may execute a function, forexample, an upload function, a screenshot function, and a sharingfunction, corresponding to the input event recognized in operation 5410.That is, in response to the input event recognized in the chatroom, thefunction executer 340 may upload or capture the content specified as thecopyright protection target in a state in which the mark is added andthereby may store or share the content in the chatroom.

Therefore, in response to recognizing the input event, for example, theupload request, the screenshot request, and the sharing request,associated with the content in the chatroom, the processor 212 may addthe mark that includes the chatroom information to the content and mayperform a function corresponding to the input event using the content towhich the mark is added.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an example of a process of adding a QR code tocontent according to at least one example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 5, the marker 330 may add a QR code 501 that includeschatroom information to content 500 specified as a copyright protectiontarget, for example, content to be uploaded to chatroom, contentincluded in screenshot range, or content to share with another chatroomor medium.

Referring to FIG. 6, the marker 330 may provide an edit user interface(UI) 610 for adjusting a size or a position of the QR code 501 added tothe content 500. Therefore, the user may directly adjust the size or theposition of the QR code 501 added to the content 500 using the edit UI610. As another example, in addition to allowing the user to directlyadjust the size or the position of the QR code 501, the marker 330 mayautomatically determine the size or the position of the QR code 501based on a result of analyzing the content 500 using an image-basedanalysis method. For example, the marker 330 may extract an area inwhich significant information (e.g., a text or image object) is absentor a background area and may add the QR code 501 to be in the extractedarea.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a process of adding a watermark tocontent according to at least one example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 7, the marker 330 may add a mark that includeschatroom information to the content 500 specified as the copyrightprotection target. Here, the marker 330 may add a watermark 701 as adifferent type mark, instead of using a QR code. Likewise, the marker330 may provide an edit UI that allows the user to directly adjust asize or a position of the watermark 701 added to the content 500, andmay automatically determine a size or a position of the watermark 701based on a result of analyzing an image of the content 500.

Although the description is made by using a QR code and a watermark assome examples of a mark, it is provided as examples only. Any types ofmarks capable of including chatroom information and protecting a contentcopyright or tracking the content may apply.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate examples of using content to which a QR code isadded according to at least one example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 8, the electronic device 120 of the user sharing thecontent 500 to which the QR code 501 is added may provide an access to achatroom 800 that is a source of the content 500 based on the chatroominformation included in the QR code 501, in response to a selection onthe content 500 on a screen 80 of the electronic device 120 orrecognition of the QR code 501 in the content 500 from a camera of theelectronic device 120. If the user of the electronic device 120 isparticipating in or has joined the chatroom 800, the user may beimmediately directed to the chatroom 800. Otherwise, a chatroomintroduction screen may be initially provided. A name, a tag, operatorinformation, and a number of participants of the chatroom may bedisplayed on the chatroom introduction screen. The chatroom introductionscreen may include a join request interface for inputting a joinrequest. Therefore, if users not joining the chatroom 800 desire to usethe content 500 to which the QR code 501 is added, an introductionscreen of the chatroom 800 that is a source of the content 500 may beprovided. Because the chatroom information is included in the QR code501, the QR code 501 may be used for content protection or tracking andalso may be used as a method of promoting the chatroom 800.

Referring to FIG. 9, the electronic device 120 of the user sharing thecontent 500 to which the QR code 501 is added may provide a sharingscreen 900 for the content 500 through interaction with the server 150in response to a selection on the content 500 on the screen 80 of theelectronic device 120 or recognition of the QR code 501 in the content500 from a camera of the electronic device 120. The sharing screen 900may include tracking information 910 provided from the server 150 for asharing path of the content 500. Here, the tracking information 910 mayinclude a list of chatrooms having a history of sharing the content 500and a shortcut link 911 that allows a user to immediately connect to acorresponding chatroom included in the list of chatrooms. Each chatroommay be set to a public state in which access using the QR code 501 isallowed by an administrator (admin) or a private state in which theaccess using the QR code 501 is disallowed. A chatroom set to theprivate state in which the access using the QR code 501 is disallowedmay be provided with the shortcut link 911 being removed.

If the user selects the shortcut link 911 of the specific chatroom onthe sharing screen 900, the electronic device 120 may provide an accessto the selected specific chatroom. Here, if the user of the electronicdevice 120 is participating in or has joined the selected specificchatroom, the user may be immediately directed to the selected specificchatroom. Otherwise, a chatroom introduction screen may be initiallyprovided.

Although description is made based on an example of using content towhich a QR code is added, a method of using content to which a differenttype mark, for example, a watermark, is added may apply in the same orsimilar manner.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a contentprotection method performed by an electronic device according to atleast one example embodiment.

For example, operations S1040 and S1050 included in the contentprotection method of FIG. 10 may be included in the content protectionmethod of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 10, in operation S1040, the content manager 350 mayaccess a storage space in which a screenshot is stored at a point intime at which a desired period of time (e.g., 10 seconds) elapses basedon a point in time at which a screenshot event is recognized. Here, ascreenshot storage space may refer to a local storage space allocated tothe messenger.

In operation S1050, the content manager 350 may delete content to whicha mark is not added, aside from content to which the mark is added fromamong contents stored in the screenshot storage space during a desiredperiod of time.

Therefore, in response to a screenshot request as the input eventassociated with the chatroom, the content manager 350 may access thescreenshot storage space after a desired period of time elapses and maydelete a remaining screenshot excluding the content to which the mark isadded.

As another example, the content manager 350 may analyze contents storedin the screenshot storage space and may delete content to which a markis not added, aside from content to which the mark is added from amongcontents between which a similarity is greater than or equal to adesired level based on an analysis result. For example, the contentmanager 350 may classify images stored in the screenshot storage spaceinto similar images based on an image analysis result and may delete aremaining image excluding an image to which a mark is added from amongthe classified similar images.

The content manager 350 may also access a storage space associated withthe chatroom in addition to the screenshot storage space. The storagespace is a space in which contents exchanged between users are storedperiodically or at a desired point in time. The content manager 350 maydelete remaining content excluding content to which a mark is added fromamong the contents stored in the corresponding space.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a content protectionmethod performed by an electronic device according to at least oneexample embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 11, in operation S1110, the event recognizer 310 mayrecognize a screenshot request or a sharing request as an input eventfor content included in a chatroom in the chatroom. Herein, thescreenshot request or the sharing request among input events in thechatroom for content copyright protection may be defined as aninstruction for calling a copyright protection function. That is, theevent recognizer 310 may recognize the screenshot request or the sharingrequest that is an input event associated with the content as theinstruction for calling the copyright protection function in thechatroom.

In operation S1120, in response to recognizing the input eventcorresponding to the instruction for calling the copyright protectionfunction in the chatroom, the notification forwarder 320 may forward, toan original content creator, a notification for content specified as acopyright protection target for a chatroom content protection. In thecase of the screenshot request, content included in a screenshot rangeof the chatroom may be specified as the copyright protection target. Inthe case of the sharing request, content selected to share with anotherchatroom or another medium may be specified as the copyright protectiontarget. Here, the notification forwarder 320 may forward thenotification for the screenshot request or the sharing request to anoriginal content creator of the content specified as the copyrightprotection target. The notification may include chatroom informationcapable of identifying the chatroom, for example, an ID or a URL of thechatroom in which the input event is recognized. The notification may beforwarded to the electronic device 120 of the original content creatorthrough a separate chatroom or a notification page by interacting withthe server 150.

Content sent and received through the chatroom may be managed using aunique identifier of a message type. Therefore, the notificationforwarder 320 may identify the content specified as the copyrightprotection target and may identify a user, that is, the original contentcreator, which sends an original version of the identified content. Atleast two original content creators may be identified based on thecontent specified as the copyright protection target. For example,referring to FIG. 12, the user of the electronic device 110 maydesignate a screenshot range 1210 with respect to chat contents includedin a chatroom 1200. Here, the notification forwarder 320 may select acontact that has sent a message included in the screenshot range 1210 asa target to which a notification is to be forwarded. For example, if amessage sent from a user A and a message sent from a user B are includedin the screenshot range 1210, the notification forwarder 320 may forwarda screenshot notification by the user of the electronic device 110 tothe user A and the user B. As another example, the notificationforwarder 320 may analyze messages (e.g., chat contents) included in thescreenshot range 1210, may identify a simple responder, and may forwarda notification to an original content creator who is not the simpleresponder. The notification forwarder 320 may identify the simpleresponder who has sent a short or simple reply for example, “ok,” “Isee,” “Thanks,” or “Thank you,” among chat contacts having sent messagesincluded in the screenshot range 1210. For example, if a message sentfrom the user A and a message sent from the user B are included in thescreenshot range 1210, the notification forwarder 320 may forward anotification to the user A that provides significant information and mayexclude (e.g., may not forward to) the user B that is the simpleresponder from notification targets.

Referring again to FIG. 11, in operation 51130, once the notification isforwarded to the original content creator of the content specified asthe copyright protection target, the function executer 340 may execute afunction, for example, a screenshot function or a sharing function,corresponding to the input event recognized in operation S1110. That is,after the notification is forwarded to the original content creator, thefunction executer 340 may capture and store or share the contentspecified as the copyright protection target in response to the inputevent recognized in the chatroom.

Therefore, in response to recognizing an input event, for example, ascreenshot request or a sharing request, corresponding to an instructionfor calling a copyright protection function in the chatroom, theprocessor 212 may provide a notification to the original content creatorhaving sent an original version of the content specified as thecopyright protection target and then perform a function corresponding tothe input event. The original content creator may recognize use of thecontent by another user, for example, screenshot or sharing of his orher content through the notification. If the original content creatorselects the notification, the original content creator may be directedto the chatroom to which the content is sent based on the chatroominformation.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a contentprotection method performed by an electronic device according to atleast one example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 13, in operation S1310, the event recognizer 310 mayrecognize a screenshot request or a sharing request as an input eventfor content included in a chatroom in the chatroom. That is, the eventrecognizer 310 may recognize the screenshot request or the sharingrequest that is an input event associated with the content as aninstruction for calling a copyright protection function in the chatroom.

In operation S1320, in response to recognizing the input eventcorresponding to the instruction for calling the copyright protectionfunction in the chatroom, the notification forwarder 320 may forward, toan original content creator, a notification for content specified as acopyright protection target for a chatroom content protection. In thecase of the screenshot request, content included in a screenshot rangeof the chatroom may be specified as the copyright protection target. Inthe case of the sharing request, content selected to share with anotherchatroom or another medium may be specified as the copyright protectiontarget. Here, the notification forwarder 320 may forward thenotification for the screenshot request or the sharing request to anoriginal content creator of the content specified as the copyrightprotection target. The notification may include chatroom informationcapable of identifying the chatroom, for example, an ID or a URL of thechatroom in which the input event is recognized.

In operation S1330, the marker 330 may add a mark that includes chatroominformation to the content specified as the copyright protection target.For example, the marker 330 may create a QR code that includesinformation (e.g., an ID or a URL of the chatroom) capable ofidentifying the chatroom in which the input event is recognized, and mayadd the QR code to the content specified as the copyright protectiontarget in response to the input event.

In operation S1340, once the notification is forwarded to the originalcontent creator of the content specified as the copyright protectiontarget, the function executer 340 may execute a function, for example, ascreenshot function or a sharing function, corresponding to the inputevent recognized in operation S1310 for the content to which the mark isadded. That is, in response to the input event for the chatroom, thefunction executer 340 may capture and store or share the contentspecified as the copyright protection target in a state in which themark is added to the content.

Therefore, in response to recognizing an input event, for example, ascreenshot request or a sharing request, corresponding to an instructionfor calling a copyright protection function in the chatroom, theprocessor 212 may provide a notification to the original content creatorhaving sent an original version of the content specified as thecopyright protection target and also add, to the content, the mark thatincludes chatroom information and then perform a function correspondingto the input event using the content to which the mark is added.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a contentprotection method performed by an electronic device according to atleast one example embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 14, in operation S1410, the event recognizer 310 mayrecognize a screenshot request or a sharing request as an input eventfor content included in a chatroom in the chatroom. That is, the eventrecognizer 310 may recognize the screenshot request or the sharingrequest that is an input event associated with content as an instructionfor calling a copyright protection function in the chatroom.

In operation S1420, in response to recognizing the input eventcorresponding to the instruction for calling the copyright protectionfunction in the chatroom, the notification forwarder 320 may forward, toan original content creator, a notification for content specified as acopyright protection target for a chatroom content protection. In thecase of the screenshot request, content included in a screenshot rangeof the chatroom may be specified as the copyright protection target. Inthe case of the sharing request, content selected to share with anotherchatroom or another medium may be specified as the copyright protectiontarget. Here, the notification forwarder 320 may forward thenotification for the screenshot request or the sharing request to anoriginal content creator of the content specified as the copyrightprotection target. The notification may include chatroom informationcapable of identifying the chatroom, for example, an ID or a URL of thechatroom in which the input event is recognized. In some exampleembodiments, the notification may include a callback URL for respondingwith an approval intent from the original content creator to allow theother user to use the content.

In operation S1430, the marker 330 may determine whether the originalcontent creator approves use of the content specified as the copyrightprotection target through the notification. The marker 330 may receivean approval intent or a disapproval intent of the original contentcreator for the use of the content from the electronic device 120 of theoriginal content creator through the notification forwarded to theoriginal content creator.

In operation S1440, in response to receiving the approval intent fromthe electronic device 120 of the original content creator with respectto the content specified as the copyright protection target, the marker330 may add, to the content, the mark that includes chatroominformation. For example, the marker 330 may create a mark that includesinformation capable of identifying the chatroom in which the input eventis recognized, for example, an ID or a URL of the chatroom, and may addthe mark to the content specified as the copyright protection target inresponse to the input event.

In operation S1450, once the notification is forwarded to the originalcontent creator of the content specified as the copyright protectiontarget, the function executer 340 may execute a function, for example, ascreenshot function or a sharing function, corresponding to the inputevent recognized in operation S1410 for the content to which the mark isadded. That is, in response to the input event for the chatroom, thefunction executer 340 may capture and store or share the contentspecified as the copyright protection target in a state in which themark is added to the content.

If the original content creator disapproves the use of the content inoperation S1430, the processor 212 may process a screenshot or sharingof the corresponding content to be disallowed. For example, if theoriginal content creator disapproves the use of the content, theprocessor 212 may determine that the screenshot or sharing of thecontent is impossible (or is not allowed) and may output a message thatrejects the screenshot request or the sharing request.

Also, if the notification is forwarded to at least two original contentcreators, the processor 212 may add a mark to content of an originalcontent creator that sends an approval intent and may process ascreenshot or sharing to be disallowed for content of an originalcontent creator that sends a disapproval intent. For example, asdescribed above with reference to FIG. 12, if chat contents included inthe screenshot range 1210 relates to messages of the user A and the userB, a notification may be forwarded to the user A and the user B. Here,if the user A approves use of content and the user B disapproves use ofcontent, the processor 212 may execute screenshot or sharing byexcluding the message of the user B and by adding a mark only to themessage of the user A.

Therefore, in response to an input event, for example, a screenshotrequest or a sharing request, corresponding to an instruction forcalling a copyright protection function in the chatroom, the processor212 may provide a notification to an original content creator havingsent an original version of the content specified as the copyrightprotection target and also add, only to the content of which use isapproved by the original content creator, the mark that includeschatroom information and capture and store or share the content to whichthe mark is added through the notification.

Although the description is made based on an example of adding a mark tocontent in response to an input event corresponding to each of an uploadrequest, a screenshot request, and a sharing request, the mark may beadded to the content in an initial stage (e.g., an upload or screenshotstage), or in a final stage (e.g., a sharing stage) depending on someexample embodiments. That is, the mark may be added to the content inthe upload stage and then screenshot or sharing may be allowed only tothe content to which the mark is added. In some example embodiments, themark may be added to the content in the screenshot stage and thensharing may be allowed only to the content to which the mark is added.In some other example embodiments, the mark may be added to the contentin the sharing stage for sharing the uploaded or screenshotted contentsuch that the content may be shared in a state in which the mark isadded.

According to example embodiments, it is possible to add a mark (e.g., aQR code and a watermark) including chatroom information to content to beuploaded, screenshotted, or shared in a chatroom for protecting contentsin the chatroom, or to provide a notification for use of content to anoriginal content creator having sent an original version of the contentin response to a screenshot request or a sharing request for the contentin the chatroom. The processor 212 may protect copyrights in thechatroom using the mark or the notification and may track the use of thecontent of which a copyright is to be protected through interaction withthe server 150.

Although it is described that the content protection method is performedby the electronic device 110 in response to an instruction provided froman application (e.g., a messenger) installed on the electronic device110, it is provided as an example only. According to some exampleembodiments, at least a portion of the content protection method may beperformed on the side of the server 150 through interaction with theapplication (e.g., the messenger) installed on the electronic device110.

For example, the processor 222 of the server 150 may include an eventrecognizer, a notification forwarder, a marker, a function executer, anda content manager such that the server 150 may perform at least aportion of the content protection method. Depending on exampleembodiments, the event recognizer, the notification forwarder, marker,the function executer, and the content manager may be selectivelyincluded in or excluded from the processor 222 of the server 150 and maybe separated or merged for functional representation of the processor222.

The event recognizer, the notification forwarder, the marker, thefunction executer, and the content manager included in the processor 222of the server 150 perform the functionality identical or correspondingto the event recognizer 310, the notification forwarder 320, the marker330, the function executer 340, and the content manager 350 of FIG. 3.Therefore, further description is omitted.

According to some example embodiments, it is possible to add a mark thatincludes chatroom information to content to be uploaded to a chatroom,and to provide an access to the chatroom that is a source of contentusing the mark added to the content. According to some exampleembodiments, in response to a screenshot request or a sharing requestfor content in a chatroom, it is possible to add a mark to the contentand to store as a screenshot or share the content to which the mark isadded. According to some example embodiments, in response to ascreenshot request or a sharing requesting for content in a chatroom, itis possible to forward a notification to an original content creator andto execute screenshot or sharing according to approval of the originalcontent creator for the content.

The systems or apparatuses described above may be implemented usinghardware components, and/or a combination software components andhardware components. For example, the apparatuses and the componentsdescribed herein may be implemented using one or more general-purpose orspecial purpose computers, such as, for example, a processor, acontroller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor,a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmablelogic unit (PLU), a microprocessor, or any other device capable ofresponding to and executing instructions in a defined manner. Theprocessing device may run an operating system (OS) and one or moresoftware applications that run on the OS. The processing device also mayaccess, store, manipulate, process, and create data in response toexecution of the software. For simplicity, the description of aprocessing device is used as singular; however, one skilled in the artwill be appreciated that a processing device may include multipleprocessing elements and/or multiple types of processing elements. Forexample, a processing device may include multiple processors or aprocessor and a controller. In addition, different processingconfigurations are possible, such as parallel processors.

The software may include a computer program, a piece of code, aninstruction, or some combination thereof, for independently orcollectively instructing or configuring the processing device to operateas desired. Software and/or data may be embodied permanently ortemporarily in any type of machine, component, physical equipment,virtual equipment, computer storage medium or device, or in a propagatedsignal wave capable of providing instructions or data to or beinginterpreted by the processing device. The software also may bedistributed over network coupled computer systems so that the softwareis stored and executed in a distributed fashion. The software and datamay be stored by one or more computer readable storage mediums.

The methods according to the above-described example embodiments may beconfigured in a form of program instructions performed through variouscomputer devices and recorded in non-transitory computer-readable media.The media may also include, alone or in combination with the programinstructions, data files, data structures, and the like. The media maycontinuously store computer-executable programs or may temporarily storethe same for execution or download. Also, the media may be various typesof recording devices or storage devices in a form in which one or aplurality of hardware components are combined. Without being limited tomedia directly connected to a computer system, the media may bedistributed over the network. Examples of the media include magneticmedia such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; opticalmedia such as CD-ROM and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as flopticaldisks; and hardware devices that are specially configured to store andperform program instructions, such as read-only memory (ROM), randomaccess memory (RAM), flash memory, and the like. Examples of other mediamay include recording media and storage media managed by Appstore thatdistributes applications or a site, a server, and the like that suppliesand distributes other various types of software. Examples of programinstructions include both machine code, such as produced by a compiler,and files containing higher level code that may be executed by thecomputer using an interpreter.

While this disclosure includes specific example embodiments, it will beapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various alterationsand modifications in form and details may be made in these exampleembodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimsand their equivalents. For example, suitable results may be achieved ifthe described techniques are performed in a different order, and/or ifcomponents in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit arecombined in a different manner, and/or replaced or supplemented by othercomponents or their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A content protection method implemented by acomputer system comprising at least one processor configured to executecomputer-readable instructions included in a memory, the methodcomprising: adding, by the at least one processor, a mark to content ina chatroom, the mark including chatroom information for identifying thechatroom in response to a user request from a user associated with thecontent in the chatroom, the adding comprising providing an edit userinterface (UI) for adjusting at least one of a size or a position of themark added to the content; and executing, by the at least one processor,a function corresponding to the user request using the content to whichthe mark is added.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the addingcomprises determining at least one of a size or a position of the markto be added to the content based on an image-based analysis result ofthe content.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the adding comprisesreceiving a mark addition request from the user every time the userrequest is recognized, or receiving the mark adding request in advance.4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mark includes chatroom informationused for an electronic device of another user sharing the content. 5.The method of claim 1, further comprising: creating the mark in an imageor pattern form recognizable at a server, to make a sharing path of thecontent trackable through an interaction with the server, and displayingtracking information about the sharing path of the content through themark on an electronic device of another user sharing the content.
 6. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: forwarding, by the at least oneprocessor, a notification to an electronic device of at least oneoriginal content creator having sent an original version of the contentin the chatroom, the forwarding being in response to recognizing ascreenshot request or a sharing request as the user request for thecontent.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the forwarding comprisesselecting at least one contact having sent a message included in ascreenshot range as at least one notification forward target, inresponse to designating the screenshot range in the chatroom.
 8. Themethod of claim 7, wherein the selecting comprises analyzing chatcontent included in the screenshot range, and excluding one or morecontacts from the at least one notification forward target.
 9. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the notification includes a function forsending an intent from the at least one original content creatorregarding whether to approve use of the content, and the addingcomprises adding the mark to the content in response to receiving anapproval intent from an electronic device of the at least one originalcontent creator through the notification.
 10. The method of claim 9,wherein the adding comprises, in response to the notification beingforwarded to the at least one original content creator including two ormore original content creators, adding the mark to the content of one ofthe at least one original content creator that sends an approval intent,and disallowing a screenshot operation and a sharing operation for thecontent of another of the at least one original content creator thatsends a disapproval intent.
 11. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: accessing, by the at least one processor, a storage spaceassociated with a screenshot at a point in time at which a desiredperiod of time elapses based on a point in time at which a screenshotrequest is recognized, in response to recognizing the screenshot requestas the user request for the content; and leaving first content, by theat least one processor, to which the mark is added and deleting secondcontent, by the at least one processor, to which the mark is not added,from among contents stored in the storage space during the desiredperiod of time.
 12. A non-transitory computer-readable record mediumstoring instructions that, when executed by at least one processor,cause a computer system to perform a content protection method, thecontent protection method comprising: adding a mark to content in achatroom, the mark including chatroom information for identifying thechatroom in response to a user request from a user associated with thecontent in the chatroom, the adding comprising providing an edit userinterface (UI) for adjusting at least one of a size or a position of themark added to the content; and executing a function corresponding to theuser request using the content to which the mark is added.
 13. Acomputer system comprising: at least one processor configured to executecomputer-readable instructions included in a memory, wherein the atleast one processor is configured to, add a mark to content in achatroom, the mark including chatroom information for identifying thechatroom in response to a user request from a user associated with thecontent in the chatroom, execute a function corresponding to the userrequest using the content to which the mark is added, and provide anedit user interface (UI) for adjusting at least one of a size or aposition of the mark added to the content.
 14. The computer system ofclaim 13, wherein the mark includes chatroom information used for anelectronic device of another user sharing the content.
 15. The computersystem of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor is furtherconfigured to forward a notification to an electronic device of at leastone original content creator having sent an original version of thecontent in the chatroom, in response to recognizing a screenshot requestor a sharing request as the user request for the content.
 16. Thecomputer system of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor isfurther configured to select at least one contact having sent a messageincluded in a screenshot range as at least one notification forwardtarget in response to designating the screenshot range in the chatroom.17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the notification includes afunction for sending an intent from the at least one original contentcreator regarding whether to approve use of the content from theoriginal content creator, and the at least one processor is furtherconfigured to add the mark to the content in response to receiving anapproval intent from an electronic device of the at least one originalcontent creator through the notification.
 18. The computer system ofclaim 13, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to,access a storage space associated with a screenshot at a point in timeat which a desired period of time elapses based on a point in time atwhich a screenshot request is recognized, in response to recognizing thescreenshot request as the user request for the content, and leave firstcontent to which the mark is added and delete second content to whichthe mark is not added, from among contents stored in the storage spaceduring the desired period of time.